Feeding and Nutrition :: FIRST EVER TURTLE REALLY WOULD LIKE SOME ADVICE PLEASE

[weepixieni]

Hi i just got a male yellow belly he's around 2 1/2 yrs. he ate last nite wiv sum turtle food (dried shrimp) i cant get him 2 eat 2nite am panicin now i put a filter heater and airstone in tank along wiv thermator and turtle dock at full strech of his neck he is bout an inch away from my 5.0 light i wasnt sure if i need a stronger light or not he got up on hs wee stone 2nite 2 get closer to his light i keep the light on 12 hrs a day turn it off at night aroung midnight and back on around 8 in morn.he's around 5 inchs he is in a 3ft tank gettin a 4ft 4 xmas we did take himo out of tank 2nite to try and feed him in a separate container and he was lively enough to take 3mins to catch him i support his wee belly when i lift him and am wonderin am right putting food on dock and water and how much how often sud i feed him am sorry for the long message but i really do want the best for harvey and i want to do everything right for him so he has a great wee turtle life. ohhh temp of water is between 28 - 29 and tank temp is sittin steady at 28 it drops 2 26 over night. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH IN ADVANCE PLEASE HELP ME COS AM REALLY WORRIED BOUT HIM NOT EATIN 2NITE.

[SabrinaF]

Reading the basic care is a good place to start. Then questions can be asked. My only concern with what I read is your water and basking temps. If I read right they are the same temp. Your basking area should be 10 degrees higher than your water temp.

[weepixieni]

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW THE WATER TEMP IS GRADUALLY GOIN DOWN MAYBE THINKIN HE AINT EATIN BECOS WATER 2 WARM 4 THE WEE MAN HE BASKS ALL DAY.

[weepixieni]

also i checked this morn 2 be precise his water temp is steady between 27 - 28. not 2 sure of air temp but he seems happy baskin away most of the day only goin in2 the water a few times a day 2 feed n hav a wee swim but he still aint ate since monday nite.

[youngmiki13]

perhaps the little one is just trying to get accustomed to the new environment. He hasn't taken a bite, not even a nibble of the food? What did he eat before coming to your place? Perhaps he doesn't like the food?

[weepixieni]

he is very happy now i changed his dock from large to medium he has ate a bit not 2 sure how much 2 feed to him he has been gettin one dried shrimp and 5 small sticks 4 breakfast and again 4 dinner he is all happy with his hollow practice golf ball he jumps off his dock on 2 it n plays with it i think the large dock was takin up to much room he has been swimin now 4 the past 20 mins only gettin on dock 2 slide in on top on his ball alot more active 2

[weepixieni]

ok now he seems 2 want 2 try every angle possible 2 get on2 new dock is this normal once he gets up he just goes bak in2 water i wish he wud make his mind up lol

my god am dumb gettin him a bigger tank 2mara mines only 3ft and i reli dnt think there is enough room 4 him am buyin him a 4ft tank 2mara

[gianoshoes]

ok now. I stopped reading about half way through your first post. Sorry.

Just read the main page of this site and get a book.

[str1p]

um not sure if i read that right but, if your turtle is only 1 inch away from your uvb light, you might want to move it back, its probably hurting his eyes

[weepixieni]

got him sum dried krill 2day he doesnt seem 2 like 2 like the pellets at all no matter how hungry ihe is got my water temp dwn 2 10 degrees lower than the air temp and he swims quite a bit more now he spends most of day baskin n sleeps on his wee turtle dock. really startin 2 enjoy him now that he has everything just right in his tank. am hoping only 2 handle him when doin water changes as i was researchin about him and found out not 2 handle him 2 much so am just goin 2 leave him 2 his own devices and enjoy watchin him in his wee tank.

[SabrinaF]

pixi- the water should be around 76 degrees Fahrenheit. I don't know what that is in Celsius

[weepixieni]

thanks sabrina i got the temp down wee mans all happy nbow very attenion seekin wee dude.